Clearing the Fog: The Myths, Facts and Future of Vaping

There’s a lot of opinions out there about vaping. Most of them are wrong. If you’re new to this niche industry, you’re thinking about switching from cigarettes to e-cigs, or you’re just curious, the mountain of misinformation can be overwhelming. How do you sort through it all?

While there are some statistics and research out there, it’s not always easy to find. Here’s what to focus on, and some myths you can ignore.

Not All E-Cigs Are E-Cigs

There are various kinds of electronic cigarettes, but not all of them are true “e-cigs.” Two of the most popular brands – Vuze or Blu – are made by tobacco companies (Imperial Tobacco and RJ Reynolds).

The cartridges are pre-filled and have to be replaced with new cartridges. Flavors are limited. These are “beginner e-cigs.”

The kind of stuff you regularly see on vape blogs are the APVs and custom mods. APVs are made by Chinese companies, like Innokin, and they use electronics that allow the user to regulate the power level in the e-cig, as seen on Vapor Plants.

They’re usually priced under $100.

Mods, made by companies like Surefire or small Greek and Filipino companies are used with user-rebuildable atomizers and can produce a lot of vapor. They’re also very expensive.

Users who use mods would never confuse what they use with Vuze or Blu. They’re almost a different product.

“We Don’t Know What’s In E-Liquid”

Yes, we do.

E-liquid is comprised of a vegetable glycerine base, propylene glycol (not to be confused with diethylene glycol, which is the chemical that’s in antifreeze), and food-grade flavorings, which can be either natural or artificial. Last, and definitely not least, is the nicotine.

Now, some big-name brand juice-makers do use other chemicals in their mixes, like diethylene glycol, or non organic infusions. However, smaller juicemakers are capturing more and more of the smart users out there with simple, clean, products.

Over time, users tend to prefer a reduction in nicotine levels because it interferes with the taste from the vape liquid.

This is how users get off of nicotine and kick the smoking habit.

“There’s No Incentive To Quit”

In almost every case, a manufacturer will make graduated nicotine levels in their juice. Why? Because 6mg per ml concentrations outsells medium-to-high strength liquids in the 12mg or higher concentrations.

Most vapers want to cut out the nicotine after a while because it interferes with their enjoyment of the e-liquid. The flavors can be complex, and most users love tasting them – almost like how winos love tasting the complex notes in wine.

“Minors Can Buy E-Cigs”

In 10 states, there are laws on the books banning the sale of e-cigs to minors. Legislation is pending in many other states, and it will probably sweep the nation. No reputable company, regardless of regulation, wants to sell their product to children anyway. It’s too much of a liability, because they’re minors.

With 95 percent of the vaping market consisting of ex-smokers, the industry doesn’t need a new customer base. It has an existing one that’s already hooked on nicotine.

“There’s No Regulation”

False. The industry is self-regulated. Every manufacturer voluntarily labels their product with a warning about nicotine. It reads:

“Warning: May contain nicotine. Keep away from children and pets. For use by adults 18+.”

This is astonishing considering that not many states actually regulate any warning label at all on e-cigarettes or e-liquids.

Many larger juice manufacturers have even switched to using a clean room for their manufacturing. No one is telling these companies to do this. They’re doing it of their own accord. They’re doing it to capture the former smoking crowd and to keep them as customers. They know that if they provide a superior product, they will keep their customers happy. And, happy customers are paying customers.

A 2012 Greek study demonstrated that there are fewer toxic chemicals in e-liquids than in regular cigarettes. And, in 2012, another research paper showed that e-cig vapors do contain some toxic chemicals, but the levels were 9 to 450 times lower than in regular cigarette smoke.

“Vaping Doesn’t Help Smokers Quit”

This is probably the most insidious lie out there. The studies that do exist say that most people who smoke, and who switch to vaping, end up quitting cigarettes. In fact, only 6 percent of former smokers relapsed to smoking after one month, and another 6 percent after one year.

In a report that looked at current, former, or “never ever” users of e-cigs, 72 percent reported that vaping helped them deal with cravings or withdrawal symptoms. Another 92 percent said that they reduced their smoking habit while vaping. Only 10 percent said they experienced the urge to smoke regular tobacco cigarettes when using e-cigs.

Overall, 96 percent of 2000 people surveyed said that vaping helped them stop smoking.

That’s pretty impressive, when you consider that most other smoking aids don’t work very well.

The “E cigs are harmful” stuff drives me nuts! I personally went from smoking to e cigs, and I felt WAY better with the switch… not saying e cigs are totally harmless – but I can tell you they are a MUCH better option than cigarettes with 100% certainty.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Comment Rules: Keep it civil, and please do not use your site URL in either your name or the comment text. Please instead use your own name, initials, or handle, as the the former comes off as spam. Thanks for adding to the conversation!